4 Health Tips for Professional Bloggers

While bloggers enjoy self-made schedules and creative freedom, they sometimes sacrifice personal health to maintain professional demands.

Sitting at home or at an office all day generates about as much motivation to hit the gym as a tipped-over Ben and Jerry’s truck.

Even though our blogging schedules are “flexible”, we still tend to be crunched for time and leave meals to fast-food restaurants and exercise to sitting and standing up.

Good news everyone! Motivational apps, virtual trainers, helpful and supportive online programs like Diet to go and BistroMD, and small changes to our daily lives can transform the old, sluggish blogger you into the new, energized blogger you.

1.     Use Virtual Trainers

Computers and phones are coming to the weight-loss rescue. To receive motivational words and bits of healthy advice, you can subscribe to text messaging services from medical professionals.

Notes like “drink more water to shed weight” and “brush your teeth daily” will help remind you to take care of yourself throughout the day. iOS also offers some great training and diet apps to help you set goals, find exercises that work for you and track your progress.

2.     Practice Mindful Eating

Popular diets promise fast weight loss, but once you reach your goal and bounce back to your old eating habits, the pounds will rush back on. Instead of stressing your body with weight fluctuation, make simple changes that will affect your physique over time.

Try to eat mostly fresh fruits and vegetables and prepare as many of your meals as you can. Many healthy-looking meals from restaurants and take-out places have hidden calories in seasoning or sauces.

Eat often. Just because you only eat one or two meals a day doesn’t mean you’re eating well. Eating 3-5 small meals throughout the day will keep your body full and energized without binging.

3.     Introduce Mini Exercises

Really, it doesn’t need to mean running. Or the gym. Or spandex. Exercise is just movement, and it’s up to you how to move. I think group fitness classes are really fun and motivational.

You might not. How about a peaceful walk through the park? Or riding a bike to pick up a few groceries? Exercise doesn’t need to feel like exercise. Pick something that you enjoy doing and do it as often as you can. Aim to do a movement activity at least 30 minutes a day for at least four days a week. You’ll end up feeling happier, sleeping better and writing with more enthusiasm.

4.     Practice breathing and relaxation

Sounds silly, right? When we get stressed, we sometimes actually forget to breathe. Our breaths become short and shallow, just stressing out our bodies even more. Stress then contributes to weight gain or more of a struggle in weight loss.

When you feel yourself tense up at a project or client, just sit up straight in your chair, close your eyes, and breathe. Count to five on your inhale, then count to five on your exhale. Breathe like this for at least 10 breaths, or until you feel more calm.

There you have it. The healthier you are, the better you can conduct your daily blogging chores with confidence and less stress. How about you? Do you have any practical tips you can add to the list?

Image Credit: sanders.senate.gov